As Lilly opened her eyes, she could see Bella standing before her. Without thinking, she jumped into her aunt's arms and hugged her as tightly as she could, only to then loosen her grip when Bella started to cough from the pain.
"Aunt Bella! I'm sorry." She cried as tears ran down her face.
"It's alright, my dear Lilly." Bella cried as well. After their hug, Bella placed her arms on Lilly's shoulders and stared into her eyes. "Are you alright?" She asked, her heart ached as she did.
"I… I think so." Lilly slowly answered. She looked down at her hands, then her gaze turned to face Draegor. "Um…" She started.
"Yes?" Draegor impatiently spoke.
"What happened to me? I remember… fire." Lilly asked with much worry in her voice.
"You fused with my other Monsters and became a more powerful Fusion Monster. It was your first time so I assume the effects on your mental state were unique to you." The masked man explained.
"I… I wanted to burn everything." Lilly shuttered at her words. Bella comforted her.
"Naturally so. You became a Fire Attribute after all." Draegor casually spoke.
"But I'm back to normal, right?" Lilly checked herself again.
"No. Not exactly." Draegor corrected the girl.
"What? What do you mean?" Lilly looked to him confused.
"You are a Monster, and you belong to me. Do you not remember what I had said to you back at the stone tablet?" The masked man revealed.
Lilly did remember him telling her that she was a Monster now, but it hadn't really sunk in at the time. She didn't know what to say. What could she say to something like that? She turned to her aunt, seeking an answer, but Bella only lowered her head.
"H-How?" Lilly finally asked.
"We are pressed for time so I will make this brief. You died, but not before setting me free from the stone tablet I was held within. After your death, I turned you into a Monster so you could continue on in this world." Draegor quickly explained.
Lilly stood completely still, baffled by what the man had just said. Again Lilly turned to Bella and again Bella was unable to say what Lilly wanted to hear.
"Now then, let us be going. Once we are far enough from the castle and its lands, then we may talk more." Draegor said and Lilly faded away. Bella quickly grabbed Lilly's hands and held them until she was gone.
"Do you know which way will lead us out of the territory?" Draegor asked Bella.
"It's called the Light Country. There are six of them in total, each one named after and inhabited by the six Attributes: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light, and Dark." Bella corrected and informed Draegor with an irritated tone. "We'll need to go to the Earth Country. There we'll be safer from the Light Country trying to find us." She added on.
"Understood. Summon: 'Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts'." Draegor chanted and called forth his Monster. Despite its name, the creature was more lion-like with brown fur, a horn atop its head, and a pitch-black mane.
Draegor mounted the beast while Bella stood her ground. "Stay if you want. You will never see Lilly again if you do, assuming you have not yet died from bleeding out or an infection" He warned, impatient with his tone.
"Well you'll have to forgive me. It's not everyday I meet a stranger and hop aboard his Monster." Bella said bitterly.
"Very well." Draegor said and made a gesture with his hand, commanding his 'Gazelle' to go.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Bella panicked and quickly reached for Draegor's arm before the creature could take off. "You know you could be a little patient." She grumbled as she did her best to hold on while the Monster moved with incredible speed.
"Do not make me repeat myself. Now is not the time nor place to be idle." Draegor said with a final tone.
"Still." Bella sighed. Her head hurt from trying to process everything that had just happened. From helping Lilly to escape to then escaping with her and some stranger from nowhere who revived Lilly as a Monster, it was all too much to take so soon.
Bella gave Draegor the directions they needed to make it to the Earth Country, then she let her mind wander, attempting to rest while she had the chance.